Woman's Knowledge
by TamarinaDC
Summary: Two years after The Gift, Part 2- There is knowledge Uhura must learn if she is to be Spock's wife. And only a Vulcan woman can impart this information. Rated M for adult themes, but nothing explicit this time, anyway!


Woman's Knowledge

**Standard Disclaimers Apply- I don't own diddly and make no money from my endeavors..**

**Thanks to everyone who enjoyed my first 3 stories- I have others that need to be typed up and one I'm currently mulling over for those reviewers who asked that I get a little more explicit in some of the "adult" scenes.**** Much love to my beta reader broadwaybound7643!**

**I am a fan of some of the ST:TOS novel by Diane Duane, and have utilized some of her ideas about Vulcans and Romulans.**

*

The couple materialized on New Vulcan on an early summer evening. This planet was, like the original Vulcan, primarily desert, with similar environmental and gravitational parameters. Unlike the original Vulcan, this planet had a moon and the stars were all wrong. But Vulcans were adaptable, if nothing else, and the colony was, if not thriving, than certainly holding its own.

Spock and Uhura had not returned to the colony since Sarek's wedding almost two years ago. In that time, approximately 4,000 children had been born to the married couples on Vulcan. Although Sarek and T'Pyra had not yet had any children of their own, they were fully occupied as foster parents for 6 Vulcan youngsters. The care and maintenance of children had now become a near full-time occupation for everyone in the colony, with a number of creche techniques being integrated into the child-rearing practices of the families. This allowed parents time to work on the other tasks related to building the colony. Aid from all over the Federation had poured into the colony, but the Vulcans were still in control of rebuilding their world.

Meanwhile, the High Council still wrestled with the problem of unbonded males and an inadequate number of single females. One suggestion had come from the Romulan homeworld, where a number of Romulan woman had volunteered to serve as either surrogate mothers or as "mail-order" brides for their Vulcan genetic cousins. Some men considered it, and a number of Romulans even came to the colony on a trial basis, but the Romulan women were miserable on Vulcan. They missed the vibrancy of their own world, and murmured amongst themselves that they understood why their ancestors had left. Interestingly enough, a number of the women who had decided not to bond with Vulcan men were still willing to serve as surrogates, considering that their "duty" would be fulfilled in a number of months and the children raised by their biological parents. Approximately 400 of the children in the colony were born to these surrogate mothers, who, after presenting the children to the Vulcan parents, beat a hasty path back to their own world. Another 200 Romulan women were also currently pregnant with Vulcan children, and another 500 women had pledged to serve as surrogates over the next 3 years. And in the meantime, some of the "distasteful" practices that Spock had described to Uhura two years ago had come to pass- men were left with no alternative but to resort to chemical treatments to deal with their "physiological cycles."

The two Starfleet officers were dressed in a manner so different than their regulation Starfleet uniforms that anyone on board the Enterprise would not have recognized them. Spock wore embroidered robes, white with gold and silver threads. Those who knew written Vulcan would have read the family name and recognized the family crest. Uhura also wore white robes, but they were embroidered with threads of yellow, green, red and black, the colors of the African Free States.

After the cool air of the ship, the heat of New Vulcan hit the both like a brick wall. But both were from warm places, and preferred it to the standard temperature maintained on the Enterprise.

Spock took Uhura's hand, and together they walked towards the the chambers of the High Council. As before, the chambers were located deep inside a mountain.

"Are you nervous, _amira_?" Spock asked, concerned.

"Just a little bit, but I'll be all right." She stopped again, taking in the new buildings erected since her last visit. "I'm so impressed with how the colony is progressing."

"There is still much to do, but, yes, there has been considerable progress."

The couple approached the chamber's entrance, gave the guard there their names, and were admitted without delay. A guide escorted them to a sub-chamber deep in the cavern.

"Wait here, please. You will be summoned shortly."

"Thank you," Spock replied, as the guide turned smartly on his heel and made his way back to the main chamber.

The two were just about to sit down on a small bench outside the chamber when the door opened to admit them. Spock raised an eyebrow, and the familiar gesture in such unfamiliar surroundings made Uhura smile.

"It seems she will see me now." He squeezed her hand reassuringly. "Wait for me- I will come for you soon." She nodded, and he entered the chamber.

The room was dimly lit, with modern lighting fixtures imitating the flickering of ancient torches. Spock could make out the High Chair (some might call it a throne) on which she sat.

"Greetings, Spock." T'Pau, the most powerful member of the High Council, addressed him in High Vulcan.

"Greetings, T'Pau, Eldest of the Family," Spock replied, also in High Vulcan. He lowered his head out of respect for the most powerful member of his house.

"Thee wears the robes of the Family. Hadst thou come to join us?"

"No, Eldest. I have come to ask a favor of thee. Something thee has done before."

"What is this favor?"

"I have come to ask thee to do for my intended what thee did for my mother so many years ago."

T'Pau was silent, remembering. Like many members of the Family, she was initially very skeptical of Amanda Grayson's marriage to Sarek (in fact, she and several others had come close to questioning his sanity). However, Lady Amanda had proven a worthy consort for Sarek, and T'Pau had grown to respect Amanda and her son.

"Thee intends to bond with a human, then."

"Eldest, the relationship developed prior to the Xenocide. I had received information about T'Pring which lead me to believe she was not satisfied with the idea of being my wife. I had contacted her, and thee will not be surprised to know she was entirely in favor of proceeding with an Unfastening."

T'Pau nodded, having additional knowledge that T'Pring had had at least three unbonded suitors, and her bond to Spock had not kept her from entertaining all of them. Unbeknownst to Spock, T'Pau had been the person who provided a distant cousin with the information that eventually made its way back to Spock.

(Humans mistakenly believed that all Vulcans were bonded as children, and that all marriages were arranged; this was not true. It was actually the tradition in the Family not to bond children, though a number of other prominent families engaged in the practice. Sarek's choice to bond Spock to T'Pring was, perhaps, the biggest mistake he had ever made, but at the time, he had done so in an attempt to make Spock more acceptable to other, traditional Vulcan families. It succeeded only in making things worse.)

"I would have performed the Unfastening myself. T'Pring's actions were inexcusable." That T'Pring had taken a lover during Spock's long absence would not have been completely unheard of; that she had taken three, and had not been particularly discreet about it, had been an insult to the Family.

Spock assented. "Be that as it may, T'Pring was just as beholden to the wishes of her house as I was to mine, and just as unwilling to be bonded to me as I was to her. I hold no ill will against her memory. But my intended must know what Vulcan women know, if she is to be my wife. And I cannot teach her."

T'Pau thought for a moment. "I would have preferred thee to have chosen one of they father's blood to bond with, especially now. But I know well that there are very few woman of age available, and that many of our people did not treat thee or thy mother honorably. Even now, in this place, there are those who look askance at the Romulan-born infants because they were not carried by Vulcans."

Spock, who had heard such things from his father, did the Vulcan equivalent of shaking his head in disbelief. "Eldest, how is it that our people can be so logical and illogical at the same time?"

T'Pau shook her own head slightly. "Spock, I am the Eldest, but even so, there are some things even I cannot answer." She rose to her feet and walked to meet her younger kinsman. "Introduce me to the intended bride." She added, "Does she speak our language?"

"She does, Eldest." As his mother had, all those many years ago.

Spock went over to the door and ushered Uhura in. T'Pau recalled having seen this young woman briefly on board the Enterprise, after Spock had rescued most of the High Council. Her head was still covered by her hood, but T'Pau could make out some of her features. She was very different from Spock's mother, but equally beautiful.

"Eldest, may I present Nyota Uhura." He spoke in High Vulcan.

"Greetings, Nyota Uhura."

"I am honored to be presented to T'Pau, Eldest of my intended's house." Her High Vulcan was flawless, and T'Pau was impressed.

"Few born on Vulcan can speak the High Tongue as well."

"Thy younger kinsman is an excellent instructor."

"So it would seem. Spock, I would speak to Nyota alone. " Spock nodded, and exited the room, leaving the two women alone.

"Remove your hood, daughter," T'Pau requested, in Standard Vulcan. Spock, had he been there, would have been surprised to hear T'Pau refer to his young human woman by such an affectionate term. Even Sarek had used the term only once, when Spock had informed him that he intended to ask Nyota to marry him.

Uhura did as she was asked, and T'Pau looked directly into her eyes.

"It is a difficult thing for a human to be the bond-mate of a Vulcan, even a half-Vulcan. You believe yourself prepared to accept the burdens of such a union."

"No marriage is without difficulties, Eldest. Spock-" and here, she used Spock's ceremonial name, as was proper in this context- "...has been nothing other than an exemplary consort during the past two years. I believe he will be a caring husband."

T'Pau paused, then spoke. "You have melded with him." It was not a question.

"Once, Eldest. It was before the Xenocide. He has been reluctant to do so in the aftermath, for fear of injuring me with some of the strength of his emotions."

"He was wise to do so. The aftermath of the Xenocide has been difficult for all Vulcans. Without the safety of a marital bond, his emotions may have damaged or harmed you." T'Pau moved closer to the young woman. "But, as a woman, and the Eldest, I can safely impart this information through the meld.

"Woman's knowledge," Uhura said, in Federation Standard. T'Pau looked at her, interested.

Uhura continued, this time in Standard Vulcan. "On Earth, among many cultures, women held special knowledge, often related to marriage and childbirth. Male anthropologists who studied these cultures often had no idea of this specialized body of knowledge because women were forbidden to share it with men. It was only when women began to study these cultures that the women shared their knowledge with outsiders."

T'Pau nodded. "It is an appropriate term." And then, switching back to High Vulcan, she asked "What does thee know of the _pon farr?"_

Uhura chose her words carefully, hoping that her High Vulcan adequately conveyed the appropriate response. "I know it is something that has to do with marital relations, and that it occurs once every seven years. But it is all I know. I have studied Vulcan, but, unlike humans, Vulcans do not share information about such private matters."

T'Pau agreed. "Yet, if thee would bond with my kinsman and become a member of our house, it is something thee must know. Many years ago, I gave this same information to Spock's mother. And now, I will give it to thee." She approached the young woman, and touched her soft fingertips to the side of Uhura's face.

*

This was nothing like the meld she had experienced with Spock. This was ...like being engulfed in knowledge, like being spoken to by a river or a mountain. T'Pau showed her flashes and bits of Vulcan history, things few Vulcans ever discussed. The history of their people, the small battles that turned into protracted wars, the cruelties even more vicious than those of Earth's history- and Uhura, who had grown up in Africa with the stories of the transatlantic slave trade, the Belgian Congo, the Mau Mau Rebellion, and South African Apartheid, knew cruelty.

And then- TPau showed her the _ponn farr_, the _plak tow_, the _koon ut kaliffe. _And that that place in Spock's mind, that he steered her away from, that place connected with sex, with shame, with lust and madness, became real for her. The uncontrollable urges, the burning desire, the sheer power of the drive to mate with one's spouse- she understood why he had sheltered her from this. This was not about lovemaking- indeed, there was nothing loving or gentle about this.

T'Pau's voice filtered through her mind. "He will have no desire to injure thee. But he is much stronger, and will not have the control he is used to having. Thee has a role to play in this- thee will be the water that quenches the fire. He will reach out to thee, not just thy body, but thy mind, and thee must answer him."

"With what?"

"With whatever soothes him. Music. Sing for him. Whenever thee are together, remember what calms him or offers him satisfaction. Answer his mind, reassure him that thee are there- and that thee will not let him die or go mad."

So this was it- the key. Without a mate, Vulcan males ran the risk of dying or becoming insane. Vulcan women also experienced their own cycle, but it was much less violent, and less dependent on the cooperation of a spouse to survive. Uhura understood now why women held such positions of power among Vulcans- males knew instinctively that they could not just take a woman by force in order to survive, but that they needed this mate to give of themselves voluntarily. Otherwise, all the forced sex in the world would still not save them. The _koon ut kalifee _existed to insure that women had at least the chance of choosing a mate, but once the choice was made, then the male still needed his mate to keep him from teetering off the brink of madness. Women were powerful- they held men's minds in their hands.

T'Pau's thoughts echoed in her own mind. "So now thee understands."

Uhura answered her mind. "It is a powerful responsibility."

T'Pau agreed. "But not without it's possibilities." And then, she let Uhura in on an even bigger secret, one that even most Vulcan men did not fully understand...

"It is...enjoyable?" Uhura had difficulty reconciling the near-rape she had seen in T'Pau's mind as anything that could be described as enjoyable.

"We are both woman- we know how sometimes, being possessed excites us sexually. He will claim thee, and only thee. His body and mind will cry out , and when thee answers him..." She said nothing else, but showed Nyota an image of her own, long-ago marriage and her lond-dead husband's _ponn farr_. The sensations she had felt during this time- both hers and her bond-mates'-were beyond description. Bumps and bruises were a small price to pay for such pleasure.

It made sense- if this were purely a destructive adaptation, then the Vulcan species would have died out long ago.

And then T'Pau disengaged her mind from Uhura's. The young human woman felt weak, and although she stayed on her feet, she wished she had a chair.

"Shall I summon Spock?" T'Pau asked, softly. Uhura nodded, still recovering from the effects of the meld. T'Pau pushed a few buttons on a nearby console, and the door slid open to admit him. He appeared calm, but there was an air of anxiety about him.

"All is well, Eldest?" He addressed T'Pau, but his eyes never left Uhura.

"Indeed." She turned to Uhura, who was now recovered. "Thee now knows what it will be like to be the wife of a Vulcan. Does thee understand and accept?"

Nyota's eyes met Spock's. "I understand and accept, Eldest. I will bond with thy kinsman." They still had all the details to work out regarding when and where, but she now had all the information she needed to make the decision. She would be the wife of a Vulcan. She would be Spock's wife.

"Peace and long life to thee both, then." T'Pau saluted the two.

"Live long and prosper, Eldest." Spock returned her salute.

"Live long and prosper. " And then, Nyota added, "_Asante sana_. In my language, it means, 'thank you very much.'" T'Pau nodded her head, and was gone from the room.

Spock and Uhura took their leave as well. Their walk back to Sarek's home was quiet, and Uhura seemed distant and lost in her thoughts.

"_Amira_, are you alright?" Spock was still concerned about his fiance (an Earth term he now felt secure in using).

"I'm fine, Spock, just a little overwhelmed. Your Eldest is a formidable woman." She paused, and then said, "I admit that I now truly understand the problem of the shortage of women. And I hope someone is able to find a solution to the problem."

"As do we." Then, he asked, "When would you like to arrange the bonding?

They both stopped walking in the middle of the path that led to Sarek's residence. Uhura thought about it, and then answered, "Well, what about tomorrow? We can have the marriage registered with Starfleet, and the next time we're back on Earth, we'll have a reception with my family and friends. Jim and Len would probably want to attend tomorrow, though, if that's acceptable. And Sarek and T'Pyra, and your foster siblings." And then, she added with a smile "Plus, I've still got that steel gray dress and your favorite heels in my closet- I knew I'd get to wear that outfit to a Vulcan wedding someday. And this time, I'm the bride, so I can wear anything I want."

He allowed some of the surprise he felt show on his face, along with some of the embarassment surrounding the heels. "So soon? Are you sure?"

She became a little more serious. "If we're bonded, T'Pau believes it will be safe for us to meld again. And I want to meld with you as often as I can before it becomes a necessity. I would like to be as prepared as I can, and would like to accustom myself to your presence in my mind."

Her explanation made perfect sense. "Your logic is exceptional in this instance." And then, because he had come to enjoy teasing her, added, "I believe you are becoming more Vulcan every day, Nyota Uhura."

She laughed her very human laugh, and wrapped her arms around his neck- something no Vulcan woman would ever do in public. She kissed him – again, something no Vulcan woman would ever do in public. And whispered, "Don't count on it, Cuddlebug. "


End file.
